Saturday, May 15, 2010

How's the weekend going so far? We've been having fun here...very crazy, and there's been very little sleep involved....zzzzzzzzz...{{I wish!}}

Just a couple of things to share with you today...I've been having some fun with Crafty Secrets' new "Sew Nice" Creative Scraps...so many beautiful images!

Here's my first card...

Isn't this a sweet image? I love the illustration, of course, and the fun colors, which I tried to echo in the cardstock, ribbon, etc. of the card...

This image was all about hand embroidery, so I tried a blanket stitch on a cardstock "flower"...definitely something I haven't tried before!

These new Creative Scraps had me thinking about a collection of reproduction vintage books that I love...The Mary Frances collection...ever heard of them?

Written by Jane Eayre Fryer around 1913, these adorable books are filled with the sweetest hand-drawn illustrations and simple instructions for young stitchers to begin learning sewing skills. There's also a book on Cooking, Knitting & Crochet, Gardening, etc...each is charming! My mother purchased them for us about 10 years ago, and we really love them.

I realized as I found the book on our little shelf, that it's cover and the image I'd just used for my card were one and the same! Coincidence, yes...but I'm sure it triggered my memory of the books in the first place!

Next, something with a bit of machine stitching...definitely a novice here!

Another sweet image from the same collection...I used the feather stitch on this...one of my favorites.

The spools of thread and the saying are from Crafty Secrets' "Sew Special" stamp set...

I added some random polkadots of Dazzling Diamonds over the image for just a bit of sparkle...ribbon, gingham, Platinum Stickles and vintage buttons finish the job.

Before I go, I want to share with you the most lovely package I received yesterday from Elizabeth of Creative Breathing...this was for no reason at all, mind you...just the kindness of her heart, and her knowing how much I love her vintage creations!

(I'm using the photos from her post because it's very gloomy here today, and I couldn't get a decent photo of them all!)

She knows how much I love vintage-inspired items with personality--fun faces, feet & hands--I LOVE this sweet pink birthday cake...complete with vintage candles!

This adorable chenille '50's girl fresh from the Sock Hop, complete with her '45 and poodle skirt--and just look at those saddle shoes!

And this adorable little button holder, made from pieces from a vintage music box...

All this in one package along with some beautiful vintage greeting cards....Oh, Elizabeth...what joy! Thank-you from the bottom of my heart, dear friend!

Also a thank-you to my friends at Splitcoast for giving me the opportunity to be included in the Dirty Dozen for the next six months--so exciting! Looking forward to working with all those amazing women!

That's all for me today...I hope your weekend is wonderful in every way!

***I just found the loveliest blog with a very vintage giveaway...please go and say hello to Stephanie at Angelic Accents!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Just a couple of quick things to share with you today...I've been having fun with some new products from Crafty Secrets...I'll have more to share later this week--so much fun!

I made another shadowbox card featuring the wonderful images from the newly revised "Domestic Goddess" Creative Scraps...here it is:

I can't tell you how much I love these shadowbox frames--Vicki Chrisman's amazing idea--thanks, Vicki! These are available through Crafty Secrets...I just have so much fun putting them together! Can't wait till Vicki's next big idea.....!

The revised Creative Scraps have images on the back now...Here's what they look like:

You all know by now that everything I make reminds me of something in my family's past...today is no exception, of course! I couldn't get this image out of my mind today...

I realize this photo isn't taken in the kitchen....but just look at my Grandmother, Velda on the right...is she a domestic goddess, or what?! A little family ice cream-making time on the back patio...

My grandfather was a fairly prominent banker in the Phoenix area in the '50's, and this photo was taken for a newspaper article on their family...you wondered why they were so perfectly posed, didn't you?! That's my mother, Karen, on the left...don't you just love her dress? (My Mom just added that she designed and made that dress she's wearing...yet another domestic goddess!)

My mom's brother and sister, Glenn and Judy, are also there...Judy was to die just a few years later at age 7 due to cancer...a sad but sweet story for another day...

Well, that's all I have for you today...off to my daughter's softball game and my youngest daughter's soccer practice...don't you just love the days when everything overlaps? Wish I really was a domestic goddess and could be everywhere at once! (And have dinner hot and ready when we get home!!!)

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Hope the week is off to a great start for you all! It's been busy here, as usual--that's good, I guess!

Just a few things to share with you today...

I made a card yesterday with this adorable storybook image from Crafty Secrets' "Childhood" Images & Journal Notes booklet...

I love this style of illustration...looks like it's from the '20's...such a beautiful time for children's books illustrations!

And it's lovely little saying..."We could never have loved the earth so well if we had no childhood in it."

After I made this, the weather cleared, and I went outside to take some photos of my gorgeous, fat roses:

Aaaahhhhh......!

...aren't they just beautiful?! We've had lots of wind and rain lately, and there were lots of soft, colorful petals in pools under the rose bushes...

...which reminded me...

...of my mother always telling me about a day when I came into the house with my hands filled with roses petals

...and said, "Oh, Mommy! Look at all the beautiful flower crumbs!" Of course I don't remember this, but she's told me so many times...Now, whenever I see those beautiful rose petals on the ground, or blossoms fallen from a tree, this is what I think of...

I was about three or so at the time, which made me think of these old pictures that I love...

Welcome! I'm Julie...I've been married for 26 years to a wonderful man who supports everything I do. I have three beautiful, very loving daughters who, thank heavens, love what I love and enjoy what I do. I live in beautiful central California near the coast--can it get better than that? I love junkin' on Saturday mornings with my daughters, all kinds of crafting--vintage-style especially, art journaling, reading, British period movies, family history, being with my extended family & friends. So many things to love!